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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24608572">Summer Time</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/jayballing/pseuds/jayballing'>jayballing</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Beach Vacation, F/M, Modern AU</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 08:53:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,680</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24608572</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/jayballing/pseuds/jayballing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Hilda is ready to enjoy a well-deserved summer holiday after her first college year. </p><p>Hilclaude week 2020 day 2: Modern AU</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hilda Valentine Goneril/Claude von Riegan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Hilclaude Week 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Summer Time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Modern AU where Hilda and Claude are university students enjoying the summer after their first year at school. I recommend listening to Summer Paradise by Simple Plan to set the mood for this.</p><p>I hope you like it!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hilda was glad that it was finally summer.</p><p>Don’t get her wrong. She enjoyed her first year at Garreg Mach University. It was liberating to live on her own after a whole life of a helicopter parents and brother limiting her freedom. She partied, she met knew people, and she even studied a bit, which surprised everyone including her. Turns out studying wasn’t terrible if the subject was interesting.</p><p>Hilda was studying fashion. Truth be told, her brother simply had the expectation that she would go to college. According to him, it is what their parents would have wanted. He was good at guilt-tripping her into doing the “correct thing,” whatever that may be. It’s not like he actually knew what their parents wanted. They passed away when Hilda was starting high school.</p><p>But going back to the point about college expectations. Hilda didn’t <em>have to</em> go to college. She was set for life in terms of financial situation. Her parents left her and her brother enough that even her grandkids wouldn’t have to work a day in their lives.</p><p>Holst insisted, though. He kept telling her how it was important to be a well-rounded person, and how things change and they might not have the comfortable life they lead now.</p><p>She decided to go for something she was already good at doing so it would be less troublesome, settling for fashion. Yes, yes, she wasn’t a particularly hardworking person, but she enjoyed the topic and coming up with accessories and outfits was something like a hobby for her. How hard could it be to study it?</p><p>It was pretty challenging, as it turned out. She was enjoying the topic, but studying just didn’t come easily for her. And for that reason, even with all the friends she made, even with everything she learned and the fact that she passed all her classes by the skin of her teeth, she was glad it was summer.</p><p>Hilda and her family had this tradition of spending a month at their parents’ (I guess it is hers and Holst’s now) summer home in Derdriu every summer. Since their parents passed, Hilda and Holst felt uncomfortable going back there just the two of them. However, this year, Hilda was really looking forward a relaxing month away from school, and her brother could probably use a vacation, something he hadn’t had since he became president of their parents’ company.</p><p>And now here she was, sunbathing by the ocean, entirely alone save for some locals that all recognized the Goneril kids. Holst had gone into town to buy them some food for the coming week.</p><p>She was getting ready to head back inside when she saw him.</p><p>Hilda knew everyone around this part of Derdriu. It was remote and only a few fisherman and small restaurant owners lived around here. Well, there was also that huge mansion where the old, grumpy Oswald von Riegan lived. Hilda heard stories about how he moved there even before her parents got their summer home. Apparently, old Oswald was heartbroken when his daughter ran away to another country to be with some man she had met in college, and he decided that seclusion was the way to go.</p><p>But she had never seen <em>this </em>guy. Surely, she would have remembered. She was distracted while sunbathing, so she didn’t notice when he started surfing right in front of the general area where she was. He didn’t seem to be tall, but he had broad shoulders and bronze skin that, when reflected against the sun, made him look like a Greek god.</p><p>He was walking out from the water when he saw her starting at him. Hilda could be lazy for schoolwork, but she was definitely willing to put in the effort to grab the attention of somebody like this guy.</p><p>The boy set his board upright on the sand and set next to Hilda, who now could see his eyes were like two tiny emerald droplets.</p><p>“I really thought I’d be surrounded by fishermen all summer long, but I’m glad to be wrong if I’ll be in the company of a lady such as yourself.” He flashed her a bright smile that melted her.</p><p>
  <em>Pull it together, Hilda. </em>
</p><p>“You seem to be very well informed about the people around here for someone that I have never seen here before. I can guarantee you those fishermen would recognize me, but not you.” Hilda noticed he wore earrings and that he had a bow and arrow tattooed on his arm. If Hilda had the ability of printing the man of her dreams from her brain, the end result would probably be a picture of this guy.</p><p>“Well, I have been talking to some of them, and they told me that house,” he pointed over her shoulder, where her summer home was.  “Has been empty for the past four or so years, but that a pink-haired family used to come every summer. Really nice folk, according to them.”</p><p>It occurred to Hilda that this boy could have, indeed, been coming to this part of Derdriu for a while. She wouldn’t know, since she had stopped coming. She didn’t really appreciate how this new kid, regardless of how handsome he was, was giving her a hard time for not knowing him. She also didn’t appreciate that he was talking about something very personal to her without even knowing.</p><p>“Well, it’s a bit uncomfortable to come back to your summer home where you built numerous family memories when your parents were killed in a car crash, don’t you think?” Hilda knew she was being harsh, but who did this guy think he was?</p><p>Clearly he didn’t think of himself as all that, because his relaxed face quickly gained a frown and he stopped looking at her. They sat there in silence for a few minutes, until the boy was able to speak up again. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know.” Hilda could tell he was genuinely sorry. Or maybe he was just that pretty, she honestly couldn’t tell.</p><p>“Let’s try this again. Hi, my name is Hilda. My family has a summer home here, but it’s only my brother and me currently. We’ve been coming here for as long as I can remember every summer, which is why the locals know the ‘pink-haired family.’” She extended her hand.</p><p>He shook hands with her. “Hi, my name is Claude. This is my first summer here, but where I come from we also have beaches, so I’ve been surfing for my whole life. I’m staying with my grandpa for the summer until it’s time to go back to school.”</p><p>“Oh, do you go to school around here?”</p><p>“Actually, I go to Garreg Mach University, so ways away, but close enough to spend summer with gramps.”</p><p>Hilda couldn’t believe the events unfolding. This guy – Claude – went to the same school as her and he happened to be drop dead gorgeous. Why couldn’t she have crossed paths with him before?</p><p>“No way! I go there too! I’m a first year studying fashion, how about you?”</p><p>“I’m a first year as well, studying international relations.”</p><p>Well, that might be a reason why she never saw him. They were on opposite side of campus.</p><p>“You might be giving me a reason to visit west campus more often, though.” He said as if he had read her mind.</p><p>Hilda hadn’t noticed, but they were sitting even closer to each other than they were originally. Any movement from their bodies and there would be a touch. Hilda felt like they were to magnets, pulling together and wanting to be closer.</p><p>
  <em>What the hell is this?</em>
</p><p>“Say, do you want to come over for a bit?” Hilda had never been this forward before, but this pull also made her want to know more about him. Also, just want him in general.</p><p>She could see he was as eager as she was, and she was dying for his answer. Her excitement diminished with his next words.</p><p>“I’d love to, really… but I told gramps I’d be back for dinner around six.” How was it already six? “Here, put in your number and I’ll send you a text later.” He took out his phone from his pocket and she noticed it was waterproof, as well as the watch he was wearing. He was all prepared for his day in the ocean and it showed.</p><p>They both started getting up. They were covered in sand and, Hilda realized, she was starving. Maybe she also should head back home for dinner.</p><p>“It was lovely meeting you, Claude.” She gave him her best smile and sweetest voice.</p><p>“The only lovely thing here is you, everything else pales in comparison.” He delicately lifted the back of her hand to his lips. Although this was the corniest thing Hilda had ever heard, she realized he was being facetious. Humor is a great way to flirt and to be interesting at the same time.</p><p>“With such words, how am I supposed to leave?” She decided two could play this game. She closed her eyes and placed her hand on her heart. “Never before have I encountered such gentleman.”</p><p>“We shall reunite tomorrow, after dusk! I will send you the detail via my trained pigeon carrier.” He took out his phone again and motioned as if it was a bird.</p><p>“I shall wait for you anxiously!” At that, they finally let each other’s hand go. That led to a laughing fit.</p><p>“You’re a fun one, Hilda.”</p><p>“Takes one to know the other. See you tomorrow, Claude.” She turned around as she waved at him.</p><p>She didn’t even make it to her house when she got a text from Claude.</p><p>
  <strong>Today was really fun. My pigeon carrier is taking a vacation, so I’m sending details here. Same deal tomorrow at 5pm? I might bring some sandwiches. – Claude</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>It’s a date ;) – Hilda </strong>
</p><p>They talked a bit more after that, but all Hilda could think about was how this summer was turning out even better than she expected.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is more like a first chapter than anything. Maybe one day I will write about their summer romance, who knows.<br/>I hope you enjoyed it! I post updates on twitter at @jayballing4. Feel free to check it out :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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